Shampoo cape



Sept. 5, 1944.

F. H. ELLINGER SHAMPOO CAPE Filed March 1, 1943 A TTOBNEMS Patented Sept. 5, 1944 2,357,461 SHAMPOO" CAPE Flora H. Ellinger, Chicago, Ill. Application March 1, 1943, Serial No. 477,566

Claims. ,(CI. 4-159) My invention relates generally to improvements in appliances for facilitating treatment of the hair and scalp, and relates more particularly to improvements in the construction and operation of capes or similar protectors adapted to be used by individuals having their hair shampooed, cut or otherwise treated.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved shampoo cape or the like, which is simple in construction and highly effective in use.

Some of the more important specific objects and advantages of the invention, are as follows:

To provide a new and useful appliance for facilitating washing, shampooing, and rinsing of the hair of individuals, while positively protecting the persons Wearing the appliance against spray and splashing.

To provide an improved liquid-proof cape or protector adapted to be worn by persons receiving hair and scalp treatments, and which will prevent soapy water and other treating liquid from reaching the bodies of the individuals using the cape.

To provide an improved device for permitting effective shampooing of relatively long human hair and for facilitating rinsing of such hair,

while the individual receiving thetreatrnent may remain disposed in a comfortable position.

, To provide an improved shampoo cape-or the like which may either be provided withsimple and adjustable means for suspending the same from a support such as a chair occupied by the wearer, or with protectors for the ears of the user, or used without such support and protectors.

To provide a simple portable protective covering for the shoulders and back of a person receiving head treatments of various kinds, which can be used over and over, and which mayalso be manufactured and sold at moderate cost.

These and other specific objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the several features constituting the present improvement, and of the mode of constructing and of using my improved shampoo cape assembly, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one of the im proved shampoo capes with the special supports device associated with an individual, a chair and a wash basin, all associated parts being illustrated in dot-and-dash lines;

Fig. 2 is a front and side perspective view of the cape alone with the special'supports and ear protectors removed; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section through one of the shoulder portions of the cape, showing the ear protectors applied to the neck saddle thereof.

Although the invention has been shown and described herein as being especially applicable to portable water-proof capes for facilitating the operation of shampooing human hair, it is not my desireror intent to thereby unnecessarily restrict the scope or to unduly limit the utility of the improved appliance.

Referring to the drawing, the improved shampoo cape shown therein by way of illustration, comprises in general a neck engaging socket or saddle portion 5 having its rear wall 6 shaped to snugly lit the base of the skull or rear neck and head portion of an individual I, while its front portion is provided with an integral releasable retaining strap '8 having several slots 9 cooperable with a fastener l0 so as to hold the saddle portion 5 in place; a laterally and rearwardly extending and depending drain apron l I formed integral with the saddle portion 5 and having integral opposite side ridges 12 extending from the lower end thereof upwardly over the shoulder portions thereof and merging with the opposite sides of the neck saddle; and forwardly and downwardly extending shoulder protecting extensions l3 also formed integral with the saddle portion 5 and apron ll.

The entire one-piece or unitary capestructure is preferably formed of rubber or other relatively stiif but flexible water-proof material which is adapted to comfortably conform with the neck, shoulders and back of the individual user, and the neck strap 8 should be so formed as to permit snug application of the saddle portion 5 to the necks of difierent individuals 1. The shoulder flaps or protecting extensions I 3 and the upper portion of the apron II should be sufficiently wide to properly cover and conceal the shoulders and chest of the individual I, and the apron II should be sufiiciently extensive to provide a propersupport for long hair I4 and to overlap the rim 15 of a, wash-basin or sink when the cape has been applied as shown in Fig. 1. The marginal ridges I2 of the apron II should also be of sufficient height -to provide a barrier for preventing liquid from flowing over the shoulders of the wearer of the cape, and over the opposite sides of the apron I I, and the lower edge of the apron II should be devoid of ridges or projections which might interfere with free drainage of liquid therefrom.

Since the cape if properly and durably constructed, may be relatively heavy, it might be desirable to provide an auxiliary support for the cape assembly. Such support may be readily produced by forming lugs I6 on the underside of the apron I I as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and by providing adjustable supporting rods or bars I! cooperable with these lugs I6 and with suspension brackets I8 associated with the back of a chair I9 upon which the individual I would normally be seated while undergoing head treatment. The upper ends of the bars I! may .be bent for detachable insertion within openings in the lugs I6, while the lower straight ends of these bars I! may be adjustable in holes in the brackets I8 and secured in adjusted positions by means of screws 20. The brackets I8 may be adjustably clamped to the chair back by means of thumb screws 2|, thus providing supports for the cape which can be readily adjusted to meet varying conditions.

It may also be desirable in some cases, to provide protection for the ears of the individual I utilizing the cape assemblage, and for this purpose I have also provided a pair of removable ear protectors 22 suspended from the saddle portion by means of flexible reeds 23, and detachably secured to the collar saddle with the aid of snap fasteners 24, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. These ear protectors 22 may be formed of water-proof material, and are shaped as pockets adapted to hook over the individuals ears, and they may obviously be readily removed if not desired. The suspension reeds 23 may either be formed of stretchable or elastic material, or they may be adjustable in length so as to aid in enhancing the comfort of the user.

The improved shampoo cape may obviously be used as shown in Fig, 2, without the auxiliary support and without utilizing the ear protectors 22, but the entire assemblage may obviously be quickly assembled as shown in Fig. 1, or the accessories may be just as quickly removed. During normal use'of the improved shampoo cape, and assuming the device to have been completely assembled and applied as shown in Fig. 1, the hair I4 of the individual I may be effectively shampooed, washed, and rinsed while all liquid will be compelled to flow away from the head of the person receiving the treatment, by virtue of the formation of the neck sadd-le 5, apron II, ridges I2 and ear protectors 22. The extensive apron II will permit the hair I4 to be disposed thereon during washing and rinsing, and the apron II will obviously conduct drainage liquid directly into the basin over the rim I5. The lower portions of the ridges I2 cooperate with the apron I I to provide a drainage trough, and the uppermost portions of the ridges I2 will revent liquid from flowing over the shoulders of the individual I, while the extensions I3 will prevent splash liquid from dropping on the individuals clothes. The formation of the neck saddle 5 and the provision of the adjustable securing strap 8, will obviously permit application of th cape so that no liquid can escape along the neck of the individual, and the pocket formation of the ear protectors 22 will obviously most effectively protect the ears from ingress of liquid. By manipulating the screws 20, 2|, the cape may be readily adjusted to comfortably fit individuals of various heights and to relieve the weight, and as previously indicated both the auxiliary support and the ear protectors 22 may be readily removed to permit use of the cape in the stripped form shown in Fig, 2.

From the foregoing detailed description of the construction and use of the cape, it will be apparent that my present invention provides a simple portable protective device for facilitating the treatment of the hair I4 or scalp of an individual I, and while the improved appliance is especially useful for shampoo purposes, it can also be advantageously used when cutting hair or otherwise treating the scalp and head. The improved cape can be readily constructed of water-proof material so as to positively prevent passage of liquid therethrough, and the formation of the neck saddle 5, apron II and extensions I3 insures 'maximum protection of th individual, and additional protection can obviously be obtained by utilizin the ear protectors 22. The improved unitary assemblage can moreover be suspended from an ordinary chair I9 and by virtue of its portability can be carried to various locations of beauty parlors or barber shops, thus making its use extremely flexible and avoiding necessity of having the individuals undergoing treatment assume uncomfortable positions especially during the final hair rinsing operations. The improved cape by virtue of its flexibility and the formation of the apron II, fits into any type of sink or wash basinthat will take care of the drainage water and which is convenient for the operator, and the device can be manufactured and sold at moderate cost and has proven highly successful and satisfactory in actual use.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of use, herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may ocour to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A shampoo cape, comprising, a neck engaging saddle, and an apron extending laterally and rearwardly away from said saddle and being provided with ridges for conducting liquid downwardly therealong, said apron being curved both laterally and longitudinally to snugly engage the shoulders of the wearer.

2. A shampoo cape, comprising, a neck engaging saddle, an apron extending laterally and rearwardly away from the saddle, said apron being curved to snugly engage the wearers shoulders and having liquid barriers extending outwardly away from said saddle and downwardly along the opposite sides of the apron, and downwardly curved shoulder protecting extensions projecting forwardly away from the upper portion of said apron on opposite sides of the saddle.

3. A shampoo cape, comprising, a neck engaging saddle, an apron extending laterally and rearwardly away from the saddle, said apron being curved both laterally and longitudinally to snugly engage the shoulders of the wearer and having liquid barriers extending outwardly away from said saddle and downwardly along the opposite sides of the apron, and downwardly curved shoulder protecting extensions projecting forwardly away from the upper portion of said apron on opposite sides of thesaddle, said saddle and apron and barriers and extensions being formed integral with each other of waterproof material.

4. A shampoo cape, comprising, a saddle adjustable to snugly fit the neck of a wearer, a

trough shaped liquid drainage apron depending from the rear of said saddle, and shoulder extensions projecting forwardly from the upper side portions of said apron and being curved to snugly engage the wearers shoulders;

5. A shampoo cape, comprising, a saddle ad-.

justable to snugly fit the neck of a wearer, a

trough shaped liquid drainage apron depending from the rear of said saddle, and shoulder ex- 

